In most cases, using a civil mediation service will be quicker and less expensive. They use an impartial person 'mediator' to help both parties find a solution or reach an agreement.

Note: The process to make an online court claim for money is different in Scotland and in Northern Ireland.

County Court Claim Online

You can make money claims online if the amount you are claiming is 'specified' - meaning a fixed amount. Remember there will be a court fee to pay when you make the claim.

What happens if you are claiming an 'unspecified' amount of money? In this case you need to download small claims form N1 from HMRC form finder. The same claim form applies if you prefer to use the paper version even for a claim of a fixed amount.

Fill in the paper county court claim form N1 and then send it to the County Court Money Claims Centre address.

County Court Money Claims Centre
PO Box 527
Salford
M5 0BY

The Next Step

The person or the business you are claiming from is the 'defendant'. What happens next depends on whether the defendant accepts your claim or not.

They might agree to your claim and pay up. But, if they deny or dispute the debt you may need to attend a court hearing. You can then ask the court to make an order for them to pay if:

The defendant fails to respond to the claim.

The defendant admits they owe the money but fails to settle the debt.

Note: What if they still refuse to pay up? The next step is asking the court to take further steps to recoup the money. In most cases they will use the legal power of bailiffs to collect a debt.

Get Help to Make an Online Court Claim

If you make a court claim online you can contact the Money Claim Online helpdesk for assistance.

Also in this section...

After a Claim: What happens after you make a court claim for money in the United Kingdom?At the Hearing: Find out the process if a court hearing goes ahead in a courtroom or county court.Court Fees: Check how much you need to pay to the court when making a claim for money.Claiming Interest: How to calculate the interest added to money owed by the defendant.How to Enforce a Judgment: You can ask the court to collect payment from the person or business.Using Money Claim Online: MCOL is a secure internet based service for claimants and defendants.

How to Make a Court Claim for Money Owed by a Person or Business in the United KingdomLast Updated 2018